Airline Review: Qantas’ QF5 connects continental Europe and Australia

Qantas has made plenty of history in its 102 years. Where does the non-stop 787 flight from Perth to Rome fit in?

Qantas Flight QF5 Perth to Rome background

The first non-stop flight between Australia and continental Europe is perhaps its greatest moment. Sure, Perth to London was historic and significant. Connecting a former far-flung colony and motherland is an achievement. It is those deep ties that make it historic, but not that risky or audacious.

Perth non-stop to Rome? That is another story. Sure there are ties but they are not as deep (or as populous) as those with Old Blighty. Hence the route is launching as seasonal, until 6 October in its inaugural year, and a modest three times a week. Qantas has already announced the return of the service for 2023 for an extended season.

The route

Perth to Rome direct. The first time in history that continental Europe and Australia have been connected in a non-stop flight.

Qantas Plane — Qantas has launched the first non-stop flight between Australia and continental Europe.

The aircraft

Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

The Dreamliner’s onboard innovations really do improve passenger energy; I am remarkably fresh when I arrive. The Dreamliners will service this flight for the foreseeable future, even after the A350 1000s arrive to service the Sydney-London and Sydney-New York non-stop services.

Class

Business, seat 12F.

The seat you really want in business are the windows – so preferably A or K.

Duration

Pre-departure flight time was reported to be 16.5 hours. The actual flying time was in fact 15.5 hours.

Departing at 10.20pm local time is helpful, assisting in the transition to Rome time.

Flight QF5 actually originates in Sydney, departing at a leisurely 5:55pm. Coincidence or design, I argue this is perfect timing. Keep awake until the Perth-Rome sector.

Check-in

Check-in is available online up to 24 hours beforehand. I check-in at the airport six hours prior to departure and despite a chorus of alarm about the delays and wait times across Australian airports at the time (including yours truly), there is very little delay causing traffic to contend with.

Lounge and pre-departure

The Perth lounge for international departures is in fact the Perth International Transit Lounge.

Small compared to the lounges in Sydney and Melbourne, the lounge has all the usual amenities (plus a surprise, see below).

There are showers, Neil Perry food, Australian premium wines, and a mix of lounge areas; banquettes are complimented by an al fresco cafe-style seating area.

Premium buffet in Qantas Lounge — There is a range of food and dining areas inside the Qantas Lounge.

The major surprise (and in fact a world-first) is the well-being offering in the lounge. In a dedicated room, an instructor takes me through a 15-minute breathing, stretching and mindfulness program that is in fact effective. I feel invigorated and healthy as I head for the gate.

Try a well-being class in the Qantas Lounge before take-off.

The menu in the lounge is designed to start the Dolce Vita early; bruschetta and negronis are key offerings.

Qualification for the lounge is the same as Qantas Club lounges across Australia; Club members, Gold status and above and Business Class passenger (although Silver members get a one-off free pass upon qualification/requalification).

The Seat

The business class seat on the Dreamliner is the original 2017 design from Australia’s David Coan. (Qantas reports some Frequent Flyer’s call the seat ‘mini-first’).

There are five different sections that you can adjust up-down, back, and forwards from the chair back to the lumbar support and leg rest. Plus the four pre-sets for take-off, reclining, reclining with leg rest and then the lie-flat bed.

Once the all-cotton bedding (also designed by Coan) is in situ in the lie-flat mode; the ‘mattress’ (it’s similar to a mattress topper) as a base, plus blanket and pillow, I have the most comfortable sleep I have ever had in the air. I enjoy approx 10.5 hours of the 15.5 hours in a deep and restful sleep.

The QF5 Business Class seats — The comfort factor of the QF5’s Business Class seats makes for a restful flight.

Food and wine

What more can be said about the Neil Perry Qantas relationship that has proven very successful?

I am torn between the spaghettini with prawns, a beef fillet or a lamb sandwich. The flight attendant advises me that the sandwich is the signature item on the menu… and the question is answered.

I wait a little longer than expected for it to arrive, but the wait is worth it. Perfect “not quite dinner but not too light" the chipotle lamb with sweet onions, mint salsa and salted chilli is satisfying without overdoing it. Two glasses of Australian Montepulciano (we are Rome-bound after all) and I am in heaven.

A colleague who opted for the spaghettini tries to convince me she in fact won gold with her choice, proving that a dartboard would be as successful, nothing will disappoint from the menu.

The tick-a-selection breakfast menu is completed and returned to the flight attendant when ordering dinner. The scrambled eggs with mushroom, bacon and tomato 11 hours later are the right fuel for the woozy day of circadian adjustment ahead.

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Entertainment & Amenities

I scan more than 185 movies from classics to award-winners, Asian, Bollywood, Japanese, Mandarin, Aussie and recent releases before I settle in for a TV box set that is not available on one of my five streaming subscriptions at home.

The custom-made headphones are not entirely noise cancelling which is surprising but not devastating.

Entertainment on Business Class — There is a wide range of onboard entertainment options to choose from.

The amenities kit is not overflowing with goodies (no aftershave, mouthwash etal that have made it into a few other business class kits in recent years) but the necessities. Most importantly is the kit is the most sustainable yet; bamboo toothbrush, bamboo/polyester socks, skin care packaging is 40% recycled plastic and the dental kit, skin care products and ear plugs are packaged in combustible FSC paper.

The skin care range comes from Li-Tya an Australian botanicals spa company. And of course there are the soft, comfortable cotton jim jams that do make for a more comfortable sleep (amusingly, the entire business class looks like “Squid Games in the Air" 20 minutes after take off as everyone has donned their pyjamas).

Luggage

The standard luggage allowance for business class is 40kg. It does increase for Qantas Club and Silver and above Frequent Flyer members.

Emissions and Offset

The approximate emissions are 2.7 tonnes per passenger which would cost approximately $150 to offset the flight at the time of purchase.

Rating

I am surprised at how fresh I feel arriving in Rome and would recommend it to anyone. Four stars out of five (because five out of five is for a private jet).

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.